When I read the story of William Ernest Henley, I feel awe with his strong soul. How could he keep having so positive and strong uplifting soul?
The poem Invictus also reminds me the first president of South Africa president, Nelson Mandela. This poem was his most favorite poem that it became the name of the movie about the story of President Mandela and South African rugby team. Nelson Mandela was a person of will. He spent 27 years in a prison separating from his family, he kept working on finishing apartheid which he believed it was right. What he felt in the prison might be exactly the same as Earnest poem ” Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.”(Henley cited by Watson, 1951,p. 86) After he became the president, he still kept fighting for his belief, racism using national rugby team.
I respect him very much as one of the greatest leader in history. This story tells me the importance to have a strong belief and believe myself positively. Once you believe something, try anyway to move forward. Sometimes nobody may understand you. Don’t give up. When I reflect my thirties, there were so many private issues happened and I was always pushed around. I became depressed and more indecisive. I was influenced by the outer of world and let them to knock me down. Not many people can be like Henley or Mandela, I appreciate that I an opportunity to know them and have a lesson of “being the master of my fate, the captain of my soul.”
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” (Nelson Mandela)
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